Cycling in Auckland needs more real champions – and while support from Council officers is good, the real change needs to come with politicians who understand how cycling can make Auckland a better city, and who realise that Aucklanders want that change.
As a charity, rules are we are not to tell you who to vote for in the coming local government elections – however, we CAN help you make up your mind, especially if the same cycling questions are asked of all politicians. You will hear what they feel about cycling, and let that help guide your choice.
So following up a similar initiative we did in 2010 for the first SuperCity elections, we have teamed up with Generation Zero to let the same concept go super-sized. Organised by their energetic teams, they went and asked questions of all candidates standing for Mayor or Council on a variety of questions – from climate change to urban Auckland to transport. On Wednesday, the scorecards results will be revealed (for all candidates that participated – I understand most did).
We are also proud to have been a key influence in helping Gen Zero create the three cycling-related questions:
- Question 10: Do you agree with Council support for the partial underwrite of the SkyPath proposal for a user-pays walking and cycling facility across the Auckland Harbour Bridge, if this is recommended by the current Council investigation?
- Question 11. Preamble: Auckland Cycle Network will be a connected series of high quality cycling routes across Auckland, including a North Shore link to the Skypath. Question: Do you support prioritisation of transport funding so that the Auckland Cycle Network, is 50% complete by 2016. Additional: This goal is stated in Auckland’s official Transport Plan, but funding has yet to be allocated.
- Question 12: Do you support increased Council funding of suburban greenways and off-road paths to provide safe cycling and walking for children and families between homes, schools and other community nodes?
Like you, we are keen to see the results. The scorecards go public next Wednesday. We will of course also review them, and give you the “Good and the Bad” of your choices for cycling.
